Saskia goes to school

Our little girl is getting so big! Saskia started pre-school two weeks ago, but she has been looking forward to it since we visited the school a couple of months ago! There was no doubt that Saskia was ready for school. She's been with me a couple of times when I've volunteered in Kiefer's kindergarten class and I always had a terrible time getting her to leave with me when it was time to go. She wanted to stay at school like her big brother. The transition from daycare to pre-school was a smooth one. Her teachers, Holly, Kristin and Emily, say she is very easy. She's so happy and just chatters all the way home and at dinner time. 

Wintertime fun

It's been a rather snowy winter and while snow isn't so much fun for adults (shoveling, driving dangers), it is great fun for kids. Kiefer and Saskia love to help shovel. On February 9th we got a LOT of snow--20+ inches (51 cm). Saskia didn't find it too much fun, though, because she couldn't walk through it! Kiefer happily helped following me and Roel with his shovel.

The kids have enjoyed sledding

and igloo building

 

and Kiefer even got to try out cross country skiing!

Birds of prey

Since we've been on the hunt for a house, we've dragged the kids to countless open houses. Kiefer had really had enough and so I decided, as a surprise, to take him to a birds of prey presentation at a local school. Because Aunt Janice taught him lots about condors, Kiefer was raising his hand and was able to correctly answer the questions, "What is the largest bird that can fly?" The presenter was surprised and called on him a couple more times, referring to him as "Condor boy." Kiefer got to see hawks, falcons, eagles and owls. At the end of the presentation, he even got to hold a screech owl!
 

 

After the presentation, the school had bird-related activities in different classrooms. Kiefer made a bird's nest, but what he really liked was dissecting owl pellets. Owls regurgitate things they can't digest (bones, fur, beaks, etc.). Kiefer dissected two pellets and loved figuring out what bones belonged to what animals. He carefully put the bones and other remains in a plastic bag, which he proudly took to school to show off.